Like the main draw, most of the undercard airs live on FS1, though
the bill will open with two UFC Fight Pass bouts. Here are five
reasons to tune in early and catch the UFC Fight Night 35
prelims:

‘Turkish Delight’

Fresh from a split decision victory over veteran Darren
Uyenoyama at UFC on Fox 9 in December, Alptekin
Ozkilic will jump right back in the Octagon for a meeting with
promotional newcomer and reigning Pacific Xtreme Combat champion
Louis
Smolka.

Let us examine what a victory over a competitor like Uyenoyama
means for Ozkilic. Though the well-traveled veteran is not the most
athletically imposing flyweight, “BC” is still known as a fine
grappler and a tough test for anybody at 125 pounds -- a test that
Ozkilic clearly passed. While he did not score a finish against the
Californian, there is no shame in taking a decision from a man
finished just twice in 13 pro outings. The grappling-heavy affair
saw the Istanbul native put in 15 minutes of hard work, showcasing
his power and athleticism in a performance that also verified his
relative inexperience. I thought Ozkilic resembled a bull in a
china shop at times, but his takedowns and aggressiveness were
impressive nonetheless.

Now paired with Smolka, Ozkilic looks to grab his second Octagon
triumph in as many months. Can he extend his winning streak to five
fights or will the PXC champ stay unbeaten at Ozkilic’s
expense?

Return of ‘The Spaniard’

Like many fighters before him, Charlie
Brenneman has received a second chance in the UFC, this time at
155 pounds. How will “The Spaniard” make use of his
opportunity?

Filling in for an appendix-less Jason High,
Brenneman returns to the Octagon having won four straight fights
since receiving his UFC release following stoppage losses to
Erick
Silva and Kyle Noke in
2012.

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Vallie-Flagg last lost in 2007.

During his three-year Octagon stint, the 32-year-old failed to
record a finish in any of his four promotional triumphs. Brenneman
has since turned over a new leaf, scoring three submissions in his
last four wins and tapping Bellator vet Kyle Baker
with an arm-triangle in October to win the New Jersey-based
Cage Fury Fighting Championships lightweight crown.

“The Spaniard” will now face unbeaten UFC newcomer Beneil
Dariush, who was called upon to replace an injured Adlan
Amagov last month. Can Brenneman make some noise in his second
Octagon stint?

I Like Ike

Like Brenneman, Isaac
Vallie-Flagg will re-enter the Octagon following an extended
leave of absence, though it was injury and not a pink slip that
kept Vallie-Flagg out of the UFC for nearly a full year.

Vallie-Flagg kicked off 2013 with an upset of Yves Edwards
in February in his UFC debut, taking a split verdict from the
16-year pro to extend his winning streak to five fights. The
35-year-old has not lost since 2007, posting a record of 11-0-1 in
his last 12 fights while scoring victories over Brian
Melancon and Gesias
Cavalcante during a two-fight Strikeforce stint.

The
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts rep had planned to face Sam Stout in
June before hurting his back and withdrawing from the contest. Now
healed from the injury, the lightweight will face former Jungle
Fight welterweight king Elias
Silverio, who has never before tasted defeat. Can the American
overcome his younger opponent and hand “Xuxu” his first career
setback?

‘TUF’ Times

Edwards has lost three of five UFC bouts since his time on the
reality series, and he was dismantled by debuting prospect Brandon
Thatch at UFC Fight Night 27 in August. Nijem, meanwhile, has
lost back-to-back fights after posting three straight wins in the
wake of his defeat to Tony
Ferguson at “The Ultimate Fighter 13” Finale.

It is unlikely that either man can afford more of the same moving
forward, especially within the deep waters of the UFC lightweight
division. Which competitor will stop the bleeding and get back in
the win column?

‘Hot Sauce’ and Houston

I have to admit, when I first saw Trevor
Smith-Ed Herman on
the UFC on Fox 8 bill, I was not expecting much.

How wrong I turned out to be, as Smith and Herman put on a bloody
good show en route to picking up “Fight of the Night” bonuses at
the July 27 event. With his hard-fought split decision defeat to
Herman now behind him, “Hot Sauce” looks toward Brian
Houston, a middleweight who saw his perfect pro record
shattered in just 48 seconds by Derek
Brunson in November.

Odds are good this one will not go the distance, as Smith and
Houston have seen the judges’ scorecards just twice in 19 combined
outings. The bout may not have any real bearing on the UFC
middleweight ranks, but I think it may nevertheless turn out to be
a crowd pleaser.